Euphorbia terracina

Last updated

Contents

Euphorbia terracina
Euphorbiaterracina.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Euphorbia
Species:
E. terracina
Binomial name
Euphorbia terracina
L.

Euphorbia terracina, commonly known as the Geraldton carnation weed and False caper, is a species of perennial herb in the family Euphorbiaceae. It has a self-supporting growth form and simple, broad leaves. Flowers are visited by Lipotriches brachysoma , Lipotriches natalensis , Lipotriches crassula , and Nomia bouyssoui . [1] [2] It produces small, three lobed fruits, with each lobe containing one seed. [3]

Distribution

Euphorbia terracina is natively distributed in Mediterranean climate regions of Northern Africa, temperate Asia, and some areas of Europe. It is an invasive weed in other similar climate regions mainly in Australia and the U.S. state of California. [4] [5] It allelopathically inhibitit growth of surrounding plants. [6]

Toxicity

Euphorbia terracina is toxic to both humans and livestock. As with many other Euphorbia species, exposure to its milky sap may cause irritation to skin, eyes, and digestive tracts. [4] [5]

Uses

In some regions of Algeria, the sap of Euphorbia terracina is used to treat warts. The sap has been found to demonstrate antioxidative properties [7]

Sources

Definition of Free Cultural Works logo notext.svg  This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC0( license statement/permission ). Text taken from Euphorbia terracina , . Encyclopedia of Life.

Related Research Articles

<i>Euphorbia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae, not just to members of the genus.

<i>Carpobrotus edulis</i> Species of succulent

Carpobrotus edulis is a ground-creeping plant with succulent leaves in the genus Carpobrotus, native to South Africa. Its common names include hottentot-fig, sour fig, ice plant or highway ice plant.

<i>Euphorbia heterophylla</i> Species of plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to tropical and subtropical America

Euphorbia heterophylla, also known under the common names of Mexican fireplant, painted euphorbia, Japanese poinsettia, paintedleaf, painted spurge and milkweed, is a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae or spurge family.

<i>Euphorbia cyparissias</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia cyparissias, the cypress spurge, is a species of plant in the genus Euphorbia. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America in the 1860s as an ornamental plant.

<i>Euphorbia myrsinites</i> Species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia myrsinites, the myrtle spurge, blue spurge, or broad-leaved glaucous-spurge, is a succulent species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae.

<i>Genista monspessulana</i> Species of flowering plant

Genista monspessulana, commonly known as French broom, Montpellier broom, or Cape broom (Australia), is a woody leguminous perennial shrub. The yellow-flowering bush is native to the Mediterranean region, and while it may still be commonly sold in some garden stores, it is considered an invasive plant in most places where it has been introduced. It is a noxious weed on the western coast of the US and in parts of Australia.

<i>Ulex europaeus</i> Species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae

Ulex europaeus, the gorse, common gorse, furze or whin, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Western Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal sage scrub</span> Shrubland plant community of California

Coastal sage scrub, also known as coastal scrub, CSS, or soft chaparral, is a low scrubland plant community of the California coastal sage and chaparral subecoregion, found in coastal California and northwestern coastal Baja California. It is within the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion, of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.

<i>Euphorbia albomarginata</i> Species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia albomarginata, whitemargin sandmat or rattlesnake weed, is a small low-growing perennial, in the spurge family native to desert, chaparral, and grassland habitats of southwestern North America, from southern and central California to Northern Mexico and Louisiana.

<i>Euphorbia peplus</i> Species of plant

Euphorbia peplus, is a species of Euphorbia, native to most of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia, where it typically grows in cultivated arable land, gardens and other disturbed land.

<i>Asclepias curassavica</i> Species of flowering plant

Asclepias curassavica, commonly known as tropical milkweed, is a flowering plant species of the milkweed genus, Asclepias. It is native to the American tropics and has a pantropical distribution as an introduced species. Other common names include bloodflower or blood flower, cotton bush, hierba de la cucaracha, Mexican butterfly weed, redhead, scarlet milkweed, and wild ipecacuanha.

<i>Euphorbia maculata</i> Species of plant

Euphorbia maculata, known as spotted spurge, prostrate spurge, milk purslane, or spotted sandmat, is a fast-growing annual plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. While it is native to North America, where it is a common garden and lawn weed in the United States, it has become a common introduced species throughout the world, including Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

<i>Euphorbia candelabrum</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia candelabrum is a succulent species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, one of several plants commonly known as candelabra tree. It is endemic to the Horn of Africa and eastern Africa along the East African Rift system. It is known in Ethiopia by its Amharic name, qwolqwal, or its Oromo name, adaamii. It is closely related to three other species of Euphorbia: Euphorbia ingens in the dry regions of southern Africa, Euphorbia conspicua from western Angola, and Euphorbia abyssinica, which is native to countries including Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia.

<i>Euphorbia canariensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia canariensis, commonly known as the Canary Island spurge, Hercules club or in Spanish cardón, is a succulent member of the genus Euphorbia and family Euphorbiaceae endemic to the Canary Islands. It is the plant symbol of the island of Gran Canaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euphorbiaceae</span> Family of Eudicot flowering plants

Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of the type genus of the family. Most spurges, such as Euphorbia paralias, are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are shrubs or trees, such as Hevea brasiliensis. Some, such as Euphorbia canariensis, are succulent and resemble cacti because of convergent evolution. This family has a cosmopolitan global distribution. The greatest diversity of species is in the tropics; however, the Euphorbiaceae also have many species in nontropical areas of all continents except Antarctica.

<i>Euphorbia rigida</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia rigida, the gopher spurge or upright myrtle spurge, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. Growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad, it is a bushy evergreen perennial with somewhat fleshy leaves arranged in a spiral, bearing bunches of bright yellow flowers in late Spring.

<i>Euphorbia dendroides</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia dendroides, also known as tree spurge, is a small tree or large shrub of the family Euphorbiaceae that grows in semi-arid and mediterranean climates.

<i>Euphorbia abyssinica</i> Species of flowering plant

Euphorbia abyssinica, commonly known as the desert candle or candelabra spurge, is a species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. E. abyssinica is endemic to Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea. It was first described in 1791, by the German botanist Johann Friedrich Gmelin. In its native habitat, it can grow up to 10 m (33 ft) tall. The woody stem is used for firewood and as timber in roofing, furniture and other items, and the sap is used in traditional medicine. It is also cultivated as an ornamental house plant.

<i>Euphorbia hirsuta</i> Species of plant

Euphorbia hirsuta is a species of herb in the family Euphorbiaceae.

<i>Euphorbia segetalis</i> Species of plant

Euphorbia segetalis, the grainfield spurge, is a species of annual herb in the family Euphorbiaceae. They have a self-supporting growth form and simple, broad leaves. Flowers are visited by Plagiolepis pygmaea, Polistes, and nomad bees. Individuals can grow to 16 cm tall.

References

  1. "Euphorbia terracina L. - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  2. Mifsud, Stephen (2002-08-23). "Euphorbia terracina (Coastal Spurge) : MaltaWildPlants.com - the online Flora of the Maltese Islands". www.maltawildplants.com. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  3. Riordan, Erin C.; Rundel, Philip W.; Brigham, Christy; Tiszler, John (2008). "Morphological Traits and Invasive Potential of the Alien Euphorbia Terracina (euphorbiaceae) in Coastal Southern California". Madroño. 55 (1): 52–59. ISSN   0024-9637.
  4. 1 2 CABI (2022-01-07). Euphorbia terracina (false caper) (Report). doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.21379.
  5. 1 2 "Euphorbia terracina Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  6. "Euphorbia terracina Profile – California Invasive Plant Council" . Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  7. Zeghad, Farida; Djılanı, Salah Eddine; Djılanı, Abdelouaheb; Dıcko, Amadou (2016). "Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of three Euphorbia species". Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 13 (1): 22–37. doi:10.5505/tjps.2016.29491. ISSN   1304-530X.